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June 28 (UPI) — Shohei Ohtani achieved another milestone in his already groundbreaking baseball career. He hit two home runs and struck out 10 batters, leading the Los Angeles Angels to a victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Ohtani had an outstanding performance, reaching base four times with a 3-for-3 batting record, two RBIs, two runs scored, and a walk. His impressive feat of hitting two home runs and striking out 10 batters in the same game has only been accomplished by six MLB players since 1893.
“We’re witnessing extraordinary events on a daily basis, things we’ve never seen before. We can’t take it for granted,” said Angels manager Phil Nevin about Ohtani. “I don’t think any of us do.”
“I understand how special it is, but I also recognize how special Ohtani is as a person in our team and what he brings to us every day.”
Ohtani had to leave the mound in the seventh inning due to a cracked nail but continued to play as a hitter.
“I haven’t discussed my next outing yet,” Ohtani said. “But I left the game before it became too problematic.”
Ohtani’s dominant performance included allowing only four hits and one run over 6 1/3 innings. This marked his seventh win in his 16th start of the season. He gave the Angels a 1-0 lead with a 418-foot solo home run to right field in the first inning against White Sox starter Michael Kopech.
Kopech walked Ohtani in the third inning. The Angels extended their lead to 2-0 with an RBI groundout by infielder David Fletcher in the fourth.
In the top of the seventh, Ohtani left the mound. White Sox first baseman Gavin Sheets hit an RBI single, bringing the score to 2-1. Ohtani responded with a 404-foot solo home run to left field in the bottom of the inning.
Veteran first baseman Mike Moustakas added the final run with an RBI single in the later innings.
White Sox designated hitter Andrew Vaughn scored their final run with another RBI single in the ninth inning.
Moustakas had a strong performance, going 2 for 4 with an RBI. Angels closer Carlos Estevez allowed four hits and one run in the ninth, securing his 20th save of the season.
Ohtani’s remarkable season statistics include a batting average of .304, 28 home runs, and 64 RBIs, leading the league. On the pitching side, he holds a 7-3 record, a 3.02 ERA, and the lowest batting average against at .180. Ohtani also leads the league with an average of 12 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.
The Angels (44-37) currently hold the second-place position in the American League West, trailing the first-place Texas Rangers by five games. They will face the White Sox again at 9:38 p.m. EDT Wednesday in Anaheim.
